Technology as a Topic

[martinmir]

Check out this Futuristic chair! It reminds me of the electric death chair. Read on...





Originally included in MoMA's recent Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition, Beta Tank's Mind Chair has been transformed from a hacked polypropylene readymade into a working wooden prototype. The chair features an array of solenoids (electromagnetic coils) attached to the back and controlled by a video camera. The camera transmits information to the solenoid grid, which then inscribes the visual stimuli onto the user's back through a complex series of vibrations.


Initially proposed by the late Professor Paul Bach-y-Rita (a leading figure in the fields of neuroscience and rehabilitation) sensory substitution concepts such as the Mind Chair proffer a future in which the afflicted are given renewed opportunity to interact with the world. According to designers Michele Gauler and Eyal Burstein, founders of Beta Tank, this technology highlights "the brain's ability to process alternative inputs" and could lead to new methods of transmitting information, such as receiving text messages or images through our skin.

I personally think the future will be here once we can charge any device whether it be Ipod, Laptop, Mobile Phone etc
Wirelessly

Has anyone got any inventory genuis ideas that are not happening right now which you would like to happen.

Please share them...

[martinmir]

Taking it more futuristic. This reminds me of the well known sci fi film 'Aliens'.





Art Center College of Design student Jake Loniak combined motorcycle technology with an exoskeleton form for what is essentially a wearable motorcycle. Named Deus Ex Machina and branded by Yamaha, it's intended to serve as an extension of the body. Loniak found inspiration in Biomechatronics and used 36 pneumatic muscles, seven artificial vertebrae and two linear actuators to mimic human motion. He introduced the design earlier this month at an event on the school's Pasadena, California campus.

The Deus Ex Machina remains in the concept stage, but it's expected to go from zero to 60 in three seconds and achieve a top speed of 75mph. It has an incorporated helmet, but no storage space. The single motor is contained in the central wheel and, fortunate for the environment, runs off of nano-phosphate batteries similar to those in hybrid cars

[vanarbulax]

I've always thought about supplying power wirelessly but the problem is it's either far too little power becuase the inefficiency of giving out power in all directions or the amount of constant energy being transmitted would not be kind on our bodies. The only other thing I can think of to supply power without wires would be a focused beam but that removes the advantage of being able to move things around.

The one thing which I really want done is some kind of universal katamari system which could either analyze 2d images or 3d shapes and turn it into an object which could be rolled up by katamari. I want to just load Multiwinia or Half-life 2 and be able to run around the world rolling up objects. That's my pointless and not-going to happen idea anyway, but if it is achieved I will declare the apex of human civilization.

[martinmir]

I like the idea and I agree with your points. Maybe one day it may be possible...

[Montyphy]

I've always thought about supplying power wirelessly but the problem is it's either far too little power becuase the inefficiency of giving out power in all directions or the amount of constant energy being transmitted would not be kind on our bodies. The only other thing I can think of to supply power without wires would be a focused beam but that removes the advantage of being able to move things around.

Welcome to the bane of studio film cameras which have to have huge chunky cables all over the place in order to power them and transmit footage. A few companies have been looking into this area. The concentrated beam is one method that's been toyed with as you can include a battery in the camera which powers it while the beam is unable to lock on, but the biggest problem was safety as someone could easily break the beam accidentally with their hand or head.

The other method was to have a grid of small squares all over the floor which could detect when a camera was over them and then provide it with power. Similar safety issues there.

[martinmir]

I think there will always be safety issues here. A future solution could be to break down a power source and send it via radio waves which is currently impossible.

[Pox]

The thing with wireless power transmission is that to get a certain amount of electrical energy, you need at least that much electromagnetic energy reaching the receiver: so for any significant device, even just one that uses a few watts, a tight beam of energy, no matter the wavelength (though I think microwaves are more efficient), would be very dangerous and could burn you quite badly - the only solution is to have a very wide beam and receiver, which almost defeats the whole portability aspect in the first place. Having all-directions transmission would be both wasteful and, I imagine, bad for the health of any people being exposed.. it would be a fairly simple matter to rig up handshaking lasers in order to keep the power beam tracking the receiver, the problem is in the aspect of having a multi-watt laser beam going through your house.
The technology is certainly there to do it, in fact there were plans for solar satellites to beam microwaves to airliners in the late 70s... never took off, and probably won't in any area but geosynchronous orbit to Earth transmission.

[Stewsburntmonkey]

I've always thought about supplying power wirelessly but the problem is it's either far too little power becuase the inefficiency of giving out power in all directions or the amount of constant energy being transmitted would not be kind on our bodies. The only other thing I can think of to supply power without wires would be a focused beam but that removes the advantage of being able to move things around.

The VW plant in Dresden, Germany uses wireless power for the technicians computer stations. These stations are able to be rolled around the production floor and provide computer support and tools for building the Phaeton. To do this they use induction from the floor to provide the power for the stations wirelessly. It's the best use of the technology I've seen so far.

[MikeTheWookiee]

I take it the technicians don't wear safety boots then! Or maybe they've just developed something better than steel...

[martinmir]

Has anyone seen Star Trek or even Red Dwarf when they use a microwave device to create food out of nothing. Talk about organic food. Obviously this technology would never take off with our standards.

[xander]

...organic food....

This is one of those phrases that has always sounded odd to me. I mean, almost all of the food that we eat contains various carbon molecules. Isn't it pretty much all organic by definition? ;)

xander

[Xocrates]

Well, technically, plastic is organic.

[Mas Tnega]

Diamond is the very definition of organic!

("It's got carbon in it" is a dumb way of defining something as organic. Especially if silicon-based life exists.)

[Xocrates]

Diamond is the very definition of organic!

Not really. Organic means it also needs to have hydrogen.

[Mas Tnega]

Then specify that in the first place!